In June 2016, I attended Exercise Anatolian Eagle in Konya, Turkey that ran from from 30 May until 10 June. I was allowed to visit, along with around 300 other spotters this large military exercise for three consecutive days during the second week. I had been planning for quite some time to visit this exercise, due to the fact that most participants come from southern NATO nations and the Middle East, enabling Anatolian Eagle to guarantee the attraction of regionally important and exotic air arms. I was thus very excited to hear that for 2016, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were thinking of attending this exercise!
The first Anatolian Eagle exercise was held in 2001 after the need for an indigenous training facility arose as a consequence of the modernisation of the Turkish Air Force’s fighter fleet. After the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo, the Turkish Air Force gained experience and reached a performance level such that they could host their own exercises and provide training for other allied air forces. The inspiration and basis for the Anatolian Eagle exercises is Red Flag, first attended by the Turkish Air Force in August 1997 with six F-16s. It is therefore no surprise that the facilities on base, such as the dining hall and ops buildings, are at the same standard as the Red Flag or Maple Flag exercises.
The Anatolian Eagle training complex is located in one area on the western side of the Konya base. Each Force has its own buildings within the complex; Blue Force has three buildings, Red and White have one each. Only members of the respective Force are allowed in their buildings. They are all situated close to the main briefing room with accommodation blocks and other social facilities nearby.
As expected he majority of units participating in Anatolian Eagle 2016-2 were from the Turkish Air Force, with most of their fast jet squadrons being represented. Besides F-16s from various squadrons, other aircraft involved in the exercise included CASA/IPTN CN-235s, Eurocopter AS532 Cougars, Bell UH-1s Iroquois, Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, McDonnell Douglas F-4E 2020 Terminators, and B737 AEW&C Peace Eagles.
The Pakistani Air Force also attended with four F-16s from the 11 Squadron (Arrows) based at Mushaf Air Base. Transport and support was provided by three C-130Es from 6 Squadron (Antelopes) which is based at Nur Khan Islamabad International Airport.
There was also participation from the Italian Air Force with six Panavia Tornado IDS – three from 6° Stormo ‘Alfredo Fusco’ based at Ghedi and the remainder from 50° Stormo ‘Giorgio Graffer’ based at Piacenza. Their main role was that of air-to-ground and suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD). Logistics support for the Italians was in the form of a single C-27 Spartan from 98° Gruppo based at Pisa/San Giusto and a KC767 from 8°Gruppo based out of Pratica di Mare.
Saudi Arabia also brought eight Panavia Tornado IDS based at King Abdullah Aziz Air Base, Dhahran. Jets were made up from 75, 76, and 83 squadrons and, like the Italians, their role was also SEAD and air-to-ground. Transport was made up of a 23 Squadron KE-3A and a 24 squadron A330-243MRTT, both from Prince Sultan Air Base in Al Kharj. The Saudi Air Force has no heavy lift capability and as such has to rely on other nations to provide this: In this instance an IL-76MF of Jordanian International Air Cargo was employed operating on behalf of the Royal Saudi Air Force. The Saudi support aircraft arrived towards midday of the last spotters day, and was greeted with cheers from lots of spotters owing to the fact that these types are rarely seen in Europe, especially the KE-3A.
In addition to the above mentioned aircraft, NATO took part with two NATO E-3A AWACS, and the Royal Netherlands Air Force sent their RNLAF KDC-10 to participate in the exercise.
I would like to personally thank the Turkish Air Force, the Public Affairs Office and all the staff at the Konya Air Base for their great hospitality during the three days I was there. A great exercise which I hope I will have to chance to visit again in the future.
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